Who unleashed Guckert/Gannon? (Updated)

Is it true, as many believe, that Karl Rove engineered Jeff Gannon's White House access? The GOPUSA "Christmas Card" page offers thanks to these individuals:

I'd also like to send a special thank you to all those who personally provided me with their assistance, guidance, and friendship, including Kathleen Eberle, Bruce Eberle, Mike Hiban, Don Stewart, Paul Teller, Tim Goeglein, Stuart Richens, Matt Smith, Jen Ohman, Bob Johnson, Liz Sheld, Julie Cram, Phillip Stutts, Chuck Muth, Grover Norquist, Karl Rove, and G. Gordon Liddy.

Well, there's Karl.

The other names are of some interest as well. I presume you already know about Norquist and Liddy.

Jen Ohman, formerly Liddy's publicist, now works with Ollie North and Hannity. Perhaps this link explains why Hannity was pushing Gannon as a legit reporter.

Nice to see that Bobby Eberle's GOPUSA has rendered formal thanks to Bruce Eberle's notorious name-collecting enterprise. This, despite the fact that some say there is no relationship between the two men. Something odd is up with these Eberles. (Perhaps I can repeat my suggestion that there may be a family connection to Paul Eberle, accused by some of publishing material sympathetic to pedophilia.)

Bob Johnson is a founding member of the Free Republic. You will recall that the Freepers had links to Aziz al-Taee/Joe Aziz, the drug thug cited by rightists (including Guckert/Gannon) as a "responsible" spokesman for the Iraqi anti-Saddam movement. Aziz also played a mysterious role in the Nick Berg affair. I suspect that Johnson linked "Gannon" with this contact. Not being a real journalist, Jim/Jeff was unlikely to go digging up sources on his own.

Phil Stutts worked for Daschle opponent John Thune and for Dan Quayle. He was also the campaign manager for the Bobby Jindal's 2003 run for Governor of Louisiana. Jindal's refusal to meet with any representatives of the gay community (which has a strong presence in New Orleans) infuriated local activists but played well to the Bible belters.

Julie Cram was the RNC's "Director of Surrogate Media Operations." The phrase "surrogate media operations" pretty much sums up Guckert's act.

Chuck Muth can be described as a Rove-in-training. His specialties are direct mail and internet activities.

Paul Teller was the legislative director for the Media Referral Service of a group called the Republican Study Committee. This service, run out of the House, was devoted to thrusting right-wing legislators in front of TV cameras on every occasion. Nota bene: Previously, Teller worked for the Reverend Moon's Washington Times. Scroll down a couple of posts, and you will see my commentary regarding the hows and whys of Moon's previous interactions with a Bush White House sex scandal.

Mike Hiban owns something called the Omega List Company, which sells the names data-mined by Bruce Eberle. He's an expert on "the conservative donor universe." (Frankly, it's difficult for me to tell where Eberle's operation ends and Hiban's begins.)

Stuart Richens is a leading figure within Eagle Publishing, the parent organization of Regnery. As you know, these guys churn out propaganda. (Net research has yet to uncover Richens actual job title.) Richens' name comes up in an interesting discussion of a piece of right-wing agit-prop called The Homosexual Agenda.

UPDATE: A reader has suggested that the name "Talon News" was derived from Eagle Publishing. I'm sure that this is correct.

The Gannon controversy may have placed Tim Goeglein in a particularly sticky situation. Goeglein is the liaison man connecting Rove with the evangelical community.

Note: A good deal, though not all, of the above summarizes research conducted by the nice folks at Democratic Underground.